


Bad Men, Good Souls

by Marvelouslife



Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Spider-Man (Comicverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Depression, Family, Family Issues, Heroes to Villains, Identity Issues, Johnny's a tool, Love, M/M, Peter's tool, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26170411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelouslife/pseuds/Marvelouslife
Summary: In this world, Spider-Man becomes a villain. Johnny joins his villainy for reasons that are his own. Peter notices him slacking on their workload, and intends to solve the issue. Their partners...for life.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Johnny Storm
Kudos: 18





	Bad Men, Good Souls

**Author's Note:**

> Another tale of these two cities. What nautical nonsense will they be getting into this time?

Johnny Storm, former member of the Fantastic Four, currently labeled as an _off_ hero, was resting on the roof of a vacated building. He had flamed off, and played with his pyromatic powers idly. He threw a few fireballs in the air, and caught them with his doused hands. Created doppelgangers to sit beside him to keep him company. Absorbed the summer heat of New York’s polluted air. He did these miscellaneous acts to occupy his time, but also to allow him to contemplate.

“They just don’t understand me,” he said to himself, his private thoughts creeping up on him. He glared at the ground floor, watching the bystanders live their average, non-thrilling lives below him. He wasn’t looking for thrill although he loved action, “I want respect.” He spat out, and his anger boiled his blood. He threw another fireball, but instead of it flying towards the harmless air, he aimed it at the people. He was an excellent shot, and hit the concrete. Close to a man’s feet, the man gasped in utter horror. He looked up for the source of the attack, but the building blocked the view of Johnny. He grasped his hat, holding onto his suitcase closely, and scurrying forward on the sidewalk. 

Johnny chuckled, but that was the extent of his joy. He became solemn, and then brooding once more. Sitting on the edge of the roof, he thought about his future. “What does Reed know?” Once again, his private thoughts surfaced, but before they could escalate, a red streak in the sky caught his attention. It was too quick for him to follow, but he knew who it was once they landed behind him.

“Talking to yourself again Torchie?” Peter asked with little interest in his tone. He walked toward the flame-boy, but Johnny neglected to look at him.

“I told you not to call me that,” he pouted, attempting to ignore the web-head. The nickname reminded him too much of Ben, of his _family_. He’s done with that group, and everything that they stand for. This was a new era…of loneliness. 

Peter snatched him by the coat, and lifted him into standing. “I can call you whatever I like Storm, don’t you ever forget it,” he forced Johnny to look at him, _daring_ him to challenge him. He didn’t, and Peter patted his cheek for his subordination. “I’m in charge here buddy-boy, and you follow my lead.” He let him go when he was certain Johnny wouldn’t question him, and Storm wiped his scrunched jacket. Peter didn’t care for his miniscule act of defiance, he knew Johnny would do whatever he ordered. 

“What do you want Spider,” he agitatedly asked.

“To help you, you stooge,” Johnny stared at the fiend with a weary glance. 

“Why?” Johnny asked skeptically, and Peter wrapped his arm around the fink’s shoulders. 

“Because believe it or not, we’re _partners_ in crime. Which means, whatever you do, I’m half liable for. And I don’t need half of me screwing up any of my schemes, because they’re feeling sorry for themselves.” Johnny removed himself from his wrapping, rejecting Peter’s help.

“I don’t need your help. I can figure this stuff out on my own,” smoke released from the pores of his skin. He was ready to leave Peter.

“No, you can’t, that’s why you joined me in the first place. You’re as lost as the first day I asked you to come, and now you need my help again. So take my hand, and I’ll get your revenge,” Peter offered and Johnny hesitated to reply. Peter held his hand out, but Johnny was uncertain. This was part of his problem. He always required assistance from others. Intelligence from Reed, strength from Ben, guidance from Sue. He was in the same boat, different captain. 

It wasn’t terrible though, and Peter did give him some form of independence. Only when they were committing crimes was Peter in charge, but when they were alone, Johnny was a free man. If Peter had a plan to get his vengeance on his loved ones, he must only mean the best for Johnny. He always knew what to say, and what to do. It was why Johnny cared for him so.

Sometimes, Peter would also express his attachment to Storm. On less than monotonous days, he was detached and repelling. When it was a successful crime spree, Peter was gentle, compassionate almost. Those moments were really what kept Johnny going for so long. Sticking with Spider-Man for so long, searching for those days he would be honest with himself and love Jonathan Spencer Storm. 

Johnny wouldn’t deny Peter, and he knew it. He placed his hand in his, and he smirked. “What did you have in mind?” He could see the smile etching Peter’s mask, and it brought a warmth to his hardened soul. 

Peter disabled the security protecting the Baxter Building swiftly, with minimal complications. Peter snatched Johnny from the outside, and slipped him through the window of an unoccupied area in the top five floors of the BB. 

They needed to get to Reed Richards’ lab to gain an item Peter believed would help Johnny, and help them in the long run. The plan was going smoothly, until Susan Richards caught them breaking into the lab. “Johnny,” she gasped in shock and uncertainty. Johnny froze at the voice of his older sister, regretting his hesitation. Peter wasn’t reluctant, and he leaped on the offense. 

He tried to grab her, but she threw her force field up as soon as she spotted the two. “Time for plan B, melt the doors!” Peter shouted as he punched at her bubble, wearing it down until he could yank her out of it. Johnny did as ordered, never questioning, never yielding. Peter told him to do something, and he was going to do it. 

His flame was hot and bright, and it would do the job needed. Sue called for help, and Peter cursed out loud. He felt the ground vibrating, and watched the walls shake. Peter could handle the FF, but there was one in the team who was a hassle to deal with. 

The Thing crashed into the wall of the hallway, screaming his battle cry, “it’s Clobberin’ Time!” He ran for Peter, but Peter leaped before he could get a lick in. 

“I don’t have to hold back for you orange freak,” Peter said as he swung his foot at Ben’s jaw. The impact had Ben turn his head, but he didn’t flinch. His head snapped to Peter’s person, rage filling his eyes with red. He stomped toward Spider-Man with speed, but Peter was quicker. He hopped to the next wall when Ben threw his punch. Peter jumped on the back of Ben, and began wailing on the Thing’s head with all his might. “Come on rock, that all you got?” Peter taunted as Ben attempted to pull him off. Peter was glued to him, and he preferred it that way as he continued his assault. 

Meanwhile, Johnny was close to finish with opening the vault when Sue called out to him. “Please Johnny, don’t do this!” He turned to her, taking a gander at her eyes, and the hurt reflected in them burned his soul. “This isn’t you!” He didn’t know if what he was doing was right, but he knew what she said was wrong. 

“This is me, and you have to understand that,” he meant to have more anger in his admission, but there was none. Only a desperation for someone in this world to finally see who Johnny Storm was, and accept it. “Spider-Man understands me. Why can’t you?” She shook her head in disappointment and disbelief, and the heat began to rise. 

His oldest sister, his only sister, refused him. She was his guardian. After their mother died when he was a child, and their dad went to prison for murder, it was she and him on the road. She took care of him, practically raised him, yet she didn’t understand him. She didn’t want to, and it made him build the internal walls which prevented him from seeing what he was doing, was wrong. Johnny turned the heat up, and blasted the doors open.

Sue could not argue with her brother with the menace pounding on Ben. Ben had slammed him against the walls a few times, but Spider-Man was versatile and agile. He was a spider, crawling around Ben and hitting him whenever he could. She had to stop the madness before it was too late, and placed an invisible bubble around Spider-Man’s head. 

Peter felt the oxygen leave him, and he immediately pinpointed the source. He shot his web at Sue, but Ben grabbed him and put him in a tight bear hug. This was what Peter was afraid of. He was trapped in one of Ben’s inescapable moves, and now his bones were being crushed. “Storm, help…” he let out before the air completely left his body. Johnny heard the call, and sprung into action. 

He flamed on and shot a beam of fire at Ben Grimm’s body. “Johnny no!” Sue cried as she watched the assault, and she switched her defense to push Johnny against a wall. With Peter freed from her bubble, he could focus better. He took a deep breath, and slammed the back of his head against the Thing’s face. He let go of him quickly after, and Peter drop kicked him, causing him to stumble. 

Spider-Man aimed his web shooters, and pinned a web on Sue. He tugged her to him with incredible force, but he didn’t want her in his arms. He pulled, then pushed her into the Thing, which had them both knocked down for a brief moment.

That was all they needed to get in the lab, grab the item and go. He went to catch up with Storm, but the third and final member of the team joined the fray. Reed Richards stretched out of the lab, holding Johnny in a tight hold. In his other hand he clutched the _Nullifier_ gun, a weapon which was made with the tech on Galactus’ ship. “I can only assume you were after this?” Reed said in his usual tone of already knowing.

Torch was passed out in Reed’s arm, and Peter glanced at him. A sharp tinge of worry stabbed through Peter, and he had the urge to attack the man responsible for Johnny’s unconsciousness. Peter sprung into action, and webbed his arm with the gun in it. His spider-sense went off, and he jumped before the Thing could punch the back of his head. Using the momentum the Thing gained, Peter kicked his spine which pushed him forward toward Reed.

Reed evaded Ben’s stumblings, and went after the spider. “Wake up Johnny!” Peter yelled, and Johnny stirred. Reed glanced at Johnny’s fallen figure, surprised by the fact that he responded to Spider-Man’s call. He used his elastic body to try to capture Peter, but he was avoiding him well. “Wake up!” He shouted again, and Johnny mumbled. He was quick to flame on when he realized he was stuck, and Reed couldn’t hold onto a person who was burning, so he released him. 

Storm flew into the air, prepared to blast Reed into oblivion, but he halted again. This was his family he was attacking, the only family he’s ever known, and now he was trying to kill them. What was wrong with him? Was his brain so twisted and boggled that he could murder his family? No matter what they did or who he was, he would always care for them. So he froze, and it was up to Peter once again, to fight the battle. 

Peter leaped for Reed, and Reed fired the Nullifier. Peter fell and collapsed, and Johnny died internally. He landed next to Peter, checking if he was still alive. He exhaled the breath he was holding in when he felt a heartbeat. Johnny had to get them out of here, but they were surrounded. He turned his head and glared at Reed. “It would have never killed him, because this isn’t the Nullifier.” His expression shifted to concerned, “the Nullifier was destroyed years ago, not long after Galactus left Earth the first time. It’s gone. You wasted your time,” Reed said but there was subtext to his words.

“What are you after Johnny? Acceptance? Revenge? Murdering your family? How could any of this destruction, this _chaos_ lead to a better life for you?” Johnny looked down at himself, Reed’s truthful words brought a pain to him he tried so hard to ignore. Shame, guilt, humiliation. 

“I’ve chosen this path,” he attempted to rebut.

“Yes you have, but it isn’t for the reason you think.” Reed was the smartest man in the world, in the galaxy. He was saying the obvious, but to Johnny, he was being cryptic. 

“I know th’ reason. It’s cause he don’t care ‘bout nobody but himself, well I say-”

“Ben!” Reed shouted authoritarian, silencing the blue-eyed Benjamin. He knew he was mad, and he had every right to be, but that was not how they were going to get through to Johnny. “This isn’t about your need for independence, or for our respect,” he continued and Johnny looked within himself for the answer. Reed gave him all the clues, now it was up to him to solve the riddle. But he couldn’t.

Peter stirred, and it woke Johnny from his trance. He stared down at Spider-Man, before looking at Reed. Reed had a glint in his eyes that told him everything, but Johnny couldn’t dwell on the answer now. He flamed on, picking Peter up bridal style, and burning a hole through the roof. Ben stepped forward to stop their escape, but Reed placed a hand in front of him. Johnny gave his family one last look before shooting out of the building. “Why’d we let em’ go stretch?”

“Because, Johnny has a lot to learn about himself. It wouldn’t be right to hold him in a cell.” Reed replied before rushing toward Sue’s fallen figure. 

Johnny went to the nearest building and gently placed Peter on the roof. Peter heard sniffling, and cracked open his eyes to see Storm crying a river. “What are you crying for? I’m not dead.”

“I know,” Johnny smiles, genuinely glad Peter was okay. “I’m crying over so much,” he couldn’t explain his turmoil, not to anyone. He supposed no one would understand him, because he didn’t understand himself. Knowing that, made everything much worse to bear. Peter shushed Johnny, placing his hand on his cheek to caress. 

“You’ve got problems Johnny,” he replied before falling back into unconsciousness.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't know if I should add this to the series, so for now, it's gonna be separate.


End file.
